Old Movie Reviews, Vol. II

Netflix continues to help me maintain sanity.  Here’s what’s been on tap lately:

Dead Poets Society (Grade: A-)

Dead Poets Society brings the baggage of expectation with it.  I don’t know if it’s the title, the subject, or its cult/legendary status as a thinking person’s film; whatever it is, I came into my viewing with high hopes.  And it lived up to those high hopes– mostly.  Robin Williams is the highlight here (though underutilized, in my opinion); when he’s at his best, there are few better.  The rest of the young cast–while really good for their age– has a few awkward moments.  And while the second act doesn’t quite live up to the first, Dead Poets Society is an enjoyable and thought-provoking film overall.

Saving Private Ryan (Grade: A)

It’s hard to grade films that aren’t really meant to be enjoyable.  You have to evaluate them on a completely different level.  Saving Private Ryan is nearly flawless in what it sets out to be– a gut-wrenching, realistic portrayal of the horrors of World War II.  Outside of some insane cinematography, the strength rests in an enormously talented ensemble cast that gives a painful/hopeful dose of humanity to this hellish portrait.  A must-see…even if only once.

The Italian Job (Grade: B)

And now for some lighter fare… Hot on the heels of Ocean’s Eleven, The Italian Job tried to emulate its winning smart-ensemble-caper-flick formula.  The Italian Job takes an edgier approach (Guns!  Car Chases!  Jason Statham!  Mark Wahlberg!  Mos Def?), but that’s the only real differentiation.  Everything still pretty much unfolds the same way.  But it more than fits the bill for some casual entertainment.  But sequel worthy (The Brazilian Job)?  Probably not.

The Visitor (Grade: A)

There should be more films like this.  This is a unique, incredible story, pure and simple.  Nothing else gets in the way.  Not an overly-wordy script or overly flashy production or big name actors.  Richard Jenkins got the Best Actor nomination (and deservedly so), but it’s the other three principal characters–all relative unknowns– that really carry things.  Subtle, human, and surprisingly musical, The Visitor is simply a beautiful film.

Slumdog Millionaire (Grade: A++)

Really?  A++?  I don’t give that out lightly.  Slumdog is exceptional.  I could be thinking that just because I’m still on a high after seeing it today.  Either way, this is the kind of film that will stick with you.  The unconventional cinematography, unconventional narrative style, unconventional story, and unconventional cast…it’s all golden.  With apologies to my buddy WALL-E, Slumdog Millionaire absolutely deserved Best Picture.

Movie Reviews, Vol. I

These reviews are brought to you by Netflix and Hastings in Maryville, TN. Their affordability has had me on a movie-watching tear (at least for me) over the last week.

Kung Fu Panda
Grade: A-
I’ve been really hard on Dreamworks animation over the years, as they put out nothing but Pixar rip-offs (Antz, Shark Tale) and two too many Shrek movies (which is about to become three too many). So in my season of being a WALL-E apologist, I naturally ignored Kung Fu Panda. Yet when I started working on my Netflix queue, I felt compelled to start off with the Jack Black-being-Jack Black-but-as-a-panda comedy. First off, they had it available on Blu-Ray, and I don’t need much excuse to take in some HD eye candy. Secondly, the movie was received well by both critics and people I know.

The verdict? It’s actually a really good movie. Not a great film, mind you, but a really good movie; and that’s what it set out to be. It’s gorgeously animated in an old school, Looney Toons sort of way (as opposed to the realistic environments and camera details from WALL-E). It has a solid script, and a nice, lighthearted story. And yes, it looks amazing on Blu-Ray, so check it out if you have that chance. Well done, Dreamworks. Now please cancel Shrek the Fourth.

Ghost Town
Grade: B
Thanks to some combination of my affinity for The Office and for British accents, I’ve become a fan of Ricky Gervais. He’s actually quite funny on his own merit, but he’ll forever be connected to those two realms in my mind. I didn’t, however, expect much from Ghost Town, a.k.a. The Sixth Sense (of Humor). Tea Leoni never inspires much hope of greatness in a movie, I’m afraid. And I’m actually regularly annoyed by Greg Kinner, but that may be because he always plays annoying characters (no exception here). All that said, Ghost Town is pleasant enough. Not particularly memorable, but not at all painful. Gervais’ turn as a dentist-turned-awkward insult-comic isn’t golden with the same subtle humor from his roles in The Office or Extras (or even award shows), but it still works enough times to be funny. And the movie is decently heart-warming, and, again, not in a painful way.

Amadeus
Grade: B+
I’d actually seen Amadeus before…kind of. I saw the last 45 minutes, followed by the first 45 minutes, thanks to some incredible bizarre “editing” by Furman University channel 14. It wasn’t really enough to get a good feel for the ’85 Best Picture winner, so Tiffany and I gave it another go. It’s definitely a solid film; F. Murray Abraham in particular is very, very strong as famed composer/apparent schemer Antonio Salieri (that’s probably why they gave him a best actor nod for it). The thing is, it just drags. Then again, we rented the Director’s Cut, so there was probably some extra meat in there. Either way, I would definitely recommend it…but I would spread it over three sittings or so. And I also recommend having a music history knowledgeable companion; there are a lot of important historical and musical intricacies in there that need to be known/explained to really appreciate the story.

The Shawshank Redemption
Grade: A+
Hyperbole warning: as far as what I appreciate in a movie, Shawshank nears perfection. Acting with serious emotion depth and diversity? Check. A story that is epic not because of the scale of the setting but the scale of its characters? Check. A film that visits the realistically dark corners of the human heart only to drag us back out to shine on life-affirming hope? Check. Morgan Freeman? Check. Shawshank knows that, often, deepest hope is born out of deepest brokenness, and it will drag you both places, kicking and screaming.

And if I ever have the strange misfortune of ending up in prison, I want Red to be my friend.

Incoherent Thoughts (and outcoherent ones, too)

Do you ever feel distracted when you don’t really even have any distractions?  That’s me.  I’m distracted, and not necessarily by something.  Just distracted.  My mind has been blank way too often recently.  Even when I have an idea– some design, something to write, something to do– it doesn’t happen a lot, unless I have some external motivation to do so (i.e. deadlines).  This realization is just yet another to add onto the pile of realizations and reasons that I’ve been losing myself and my voice lately.

I’ve been working, but not doing or being.  Kind of machine-like.  So if anyone were to tell me right now, “man, you’re a machine,” I’m not going to take that as a compliment.

Why is that a compliment, anyways?  Who would rather be a machine?

Regretfully, I’m not always a very disciplined person, so the season of Lent is a strange one for me.  Yes, I’m a Baptist, but I think Lent is awesome.  You know, in that somber, self-sacrificial sort of way…

I’m not sure why Lent is so frowned-upon across Protestantism.  I think it may have to do with some misplaced association between Christian ritual and the Law (in the Hebrew/Pauline sense).  Some say that Christ has set us free from such things.  I think where we miss the point is in our understanding of just what this “freedom in Christ” means.  Is this freedom to indulge completely and consistently in our desires?  Or is this freedom from the desires that tie us down?  I think that one of the prisons that Christ can save us from is this feeling that our daily routine and preferred lifestyle is of utmost importance.  I find myself in that prison.  But freedom in Christ is a higher calling, and one that requires sacrifice and discipline.

The ritual of Lent, practiced sincerely by a community, can be a wonderfully powerful thing.  We’re not often strong enough to follow this path of sacrifice alone.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt to block out these forty days, if only to prepare our too-stagnant hearts and minds for the Easter season.

———————–(This is a line to separate serious thoughts from non-serious thoughts.)

I still haven’t seen Slumdog Millionaire.  I’m going to have an Oscar rental festival once these movies hit stores.  I’m happy that Slumdog, a film with no Hollywood Royalty attached to it, got so much love.  I’m also happy that an uplifting movie took home the gold– recently, “happiness” has not translated into Oscar success.

It’s also time to say farewell, as my favorite movie rolls off into that CG sunset.  WALL-E received more nominations than any other animated film ever (six), but still was victim to the apparently strong anti-animation inclination in the Academy.  It didn’t get the Best Picture nod that it deserved (which would have been a victory for animation artists everywhere), and got snubbed big time in losing both the Sound Design and Sound Mixing categories.

WALL-E was a truly unique work of art, and I’m sad to see it go.  I’m hoping that Up can deliver on the already massive pre-screening hype it’s been building up in the last few weeks.

———————–

I’ve been pulling double-duty the last couple of weeks (and will be for at least one week more), as I’ve been freelancing for North Point Community Church again.  They sent a couple of title package jobs (my favorites) my way.  Not even my own family has seen either of these, so I thought I would post them.

(If the videos don’t pop up, just go to my vimeo page.

Also, the new Concoxions home page is up.  And it’s got Flash in it!  Ok, it’s just a simple looping slideshow, but I’m pretty pumped about even that.

I’ve starting to work on some ideas for the Chillipepper promo, and I really want to see if I can throw in some basic 3D motion graphics this time.  It’ll be a great learning experience.  I did this two-second test today:

(You can see an HD version if you click “HD is off”)

And finally…a model of a glass of water that I made today.  Just for fun.

Golden Globe Rant

(Note: My rants are meaningless.  If you want real commentary on these matters, see Nathan Willis.)

I understand that the Golden Globes aren’t exactly the Gold Standard.  However, they aspire to exist as an Academy Awards preview show; if they want to keep that role, they need to act a little more responsibly.

Let’s start with the Best Picture Nominees.  In the Drama category, we have The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, and Slumdog Millionaire.  It’s a good list by all accounts, that is, until you notice one glaring omission.  Doubt received nods for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (twice), Best Supporting Actor, and Best Screenplay.  Doubt’s five nominations, in fact, is tied for the most of any movie, and didn’t have the benefit of including Best Picture among those five.  What’s the problem here?  Is it because it takes place in a church?  

The Best Picture Comedy/Musical category is a mess: Burn After Reading (an overwhelming critical disappointment), Happy-Go-Lucky (probably legitimate), In Bruges (moderately well-received), Mamma Mia! (*cringe*), and Vicky Christina Barcelona (was that even a comedy?).  I probably put a little too much stock in this, but the average Tomatometer score for these movies is an unimpressive 78%, which is skewed upward by the critically praised Happy-Go-Lucky, the only movie on the list I had any desire to see upon their releases (unfortunately, it was a limited release).

Some other oddities: Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor.  Supporting Actor?  Whose face was on all of those posters this summer?  If anything, Christian Bale was a pretty good supporting actor to Heath Ledger.  Also, Tom Cruise received a Supporting Actor nod for his cameo in Tropic Thunder.  I’ve got nothing to say to that.

On the television side of things, you’re hard-pressed to find any network TV love, as usual.  Granted, there’s not a lot of excitement to watch on network TV…I just wish the alternative wasn’t always trashy HBO/Showtime shows.  Major nods are for House (well-deserved), 30 Rock (sure, why not?), and The Office on the network side, and Dexter, Mad Men, and True Blood (which I’ve seen…wouldn’t recommend it for any reason at all) on the sketchy side.  (Edit: Wait, no Lost?  What is that?!)  

And finally–you knew it was coming– where’s the love for my little buddy WALL-E?  He’s had a really good week: named TIME Magazine’s film of the year, the Los Angeles Film Academy’s film of the year, and he made it on to Ebert’s List, too (Ebert smartly refuses to give in ranking within his list, however).  The campaign for a Best Picture nod for WALL-E has been very alive since its release.  However, disappointingly (and somewhat expectedly), WALL-E received only the obligatory Best Animated Feature nomination, along with Kung Fu Panda and Bolt.  And I have a feeling that they’ll give it to Kung Fu Panda.

Don’t worry WALL-E.  You still got the girl in the end.

Blogging is For Lists, Vol. I: Pixar Movies

I threatened to make this list on the Amalgamblog, and now I will be true to my word.  After all, what reason is there to blog other than to make completely meaningless “Best-of” lists?

Today: the best, er, my favorite Pixar movies, in celebration of the DVD release of WALL-E, the new trailer for Up, and the theatrical release of Bolt (the first Disney-animated feature overseen by Pixar co-founder John Lasseter).  And let’s be honest, I have an obvious fascination with Pixar.  I truly think that they are one of the only sources of art that is simultaneously accessible, popular, and relevant.  To accompany each movie, I’ll give a legitimate Rotten Tomatoes review snippet that best expresses my feelings, along with the RT score.  

#9: Cars (2006, RT Score: 75%)

“While Cars may cross the finish line ahead of any of 2006’s other animated films, it’s several laps behind its Pixar siblings.” -James Berardinelli, ReelViews

#8: A Bug’s Life (1998, RT Score: 91%)

“The plot matures handsomely; the characters neatly converge and combust; the gags pay off with emotional resonance.” -Richard Corliss, TIME

#7: Toy Story (1995, RT Score: 100%)

“As Lion King did before it, Toy Story revived the art of American children’s animation, and ushered in a set of smart movies that entertained children and their parents. It’s a landmark movie, and doesn’t get old with frequent repetition.” -Michael Booth, Denver Post

#6: Monster’s, Inc. (2001, RT Score: 94%)

“Despite its relatively brief running time, Monsters lets us get to know each of its characters well enough to miss them when they’re gone.” -Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

#5: Toy Story 2 (1999, RT Score: 100%)

“Only after leaving the theater is there reason to realize just how much imagination has gone into making this film so enveloping.” -Janet Maslin, New York Times

#4: Ratatouille (2007, RT Score: 96%)

“Displaying the usual meticulousness associated with the Pixar brand, Ratatouille is a nearly flawless piece of popular art.” -A.O. Scott, New York Times

#3: The Incredibles (2004, RT Score: 97%)

“Even by Pixar standards, The Incredibles is unexpected, a mold-breaking computer-animated adventure that pleases the eye, bends the mind and, ultimately, lifts the spirit.” -Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

#2: Finding Nemo (2003, RT Score: 98%)

“You connect to these sea creatures as you rarely do with humans in big-screen adventures. The result: a true sunken treasure.” -Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune

#1: WALL-E  (2008, RT Score: 97%)

“No movie can be a downer that fills you with pure exhilaration. You leave WALL-E with a feeling of the rarest kind: that you’ve just enjoyed a close encounter with an enduring classic.” -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Some Thoughts, Vol. 1

This is the more awake edition of “Sleep-blogging.”  We’ll see if it’s any more coherent.

-It looks like next year’s Atlanta Braves will likely include Jake Peavy (awesome) and not include Yunel Escobar (what?).  Why can’t the Braves be made of money?  Either way, I’m already anxious for the 2009 season to start, even if we won’t yet be contenders.  But I’ll feel decent about our chances as long as no one predicts us to win the World Series.  

-Many people attribute the Republican’s discouraging defeat on Tuesday to their inability to win over moderates (or, in many cases, their ability to chase them away).  Tony Perkins, a leading conservative leader, however, has a different strategy: blame the whole mess on the moderates.  Perkins accused moderates in the ranks of leading the party astray, and feels it wrong to cater to their concerns.  Apparently, it’s never too early to start losing in 2012…

But seriously, I hope no one listens to this guy.  

-I really hope that the studios come to their senses and start slashing the prices of Blu-Ray movies.  The Blu-Ray player manufacturers are coming to their senses (good players can easily be found for south of $200 now), but I really don’t want to pay $30 for a WALL-E Blu-Ray disc this month.  I would, but I don’t want to.  Upscale DVD players do an admirable job, but there really is no comparison.  It’s a tough climate for visually-driven movie buffs. 

-Also, a word to Activision, or however makes Guitar Hero: sell drum kits separately.  There’s no reason I should have to pay $190 in order to get a $40 peripheral.  I want to live out my Drum Hero dreams.  

-The Furman Fighting Football Paladins are two wins away from a playoff berth, yet no one outside of Greenville seems to be aware of that; the media and messageboards have already given the spots away to App State, Elon, and Wofford.  It’s probably best that way.  And it’s definitely also best that we have an off-week this week.  I anticipate that both the Georgia Southern and Wofford contests will be barn-burners.  

-Still no Adobe CS4 Trial.  Adobe is giving me little reason to believe that the suite actually exists.  You know, other than floods of reviews and hands-on-impressions.  But those can be faked. 

-Apparently Pixar is working on two live-action films: John Carter of Mars and 1906.  That’s right, Pixar.  The films are being directed by Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird, respectively.  I give those guys (and all of Pixar) a mandate to try whatever they want, so more power to them.

WALL-E Tomatoes

I desperately want to see WALL-E.  But I’ve found that not everyone shares my enthusiasm.  It’s not that everyone has to like what I like, not by any stretch of the imagination– but when I hear reasoning such as “I mean, why would I want to see a movie about a robot?” I hurt for that individual’s soul.  Instead of gushing over the mastery of Andrew Stanton’s previous work, the undeniable epic feel to the musical work of Thomas Newman or the fact that Pixar is made up of a bunch of geniuses, I’ll instead pass along the word of our cynical movie critics.  I took a stroll through Rotten Tomatoes’ collection of reviews for WALL-E (It has a 97% fresh rating at this moment).  I just had to relay some of these to you, so that you may too go see it and support the creation of good film.

“I must drop my inhibitions about dropping the M word – especially since I’ve already used magnificent – and call WALL-E the masterpiece that it is.” (Joe Morgensten, Wall Street Journal)

“Here I am, surprised and delighted all over again at just how well these people can tell a story.” (Eric Snider, Film.com)

“The best American film of the year to date.” (Ty Burr, Boston Globe)

“This is getting to sound like a broken record: Pixar Animation Studios has just topped itself.  Again.” (Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter)

“Someday, there will be college courses devoted to this movie.” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post)

“One of the best movies of the year.  Just so beautifully done.” (Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper)

“Miraculous.” (Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy)

“Wall-E is art.  Hell, it’s philosophy – it’s practically religion.” (MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher)

“Too many kid’s movies are created to give kids things to buy; WALL-E is a kid’s movie that might, perhaps, give you and your kids pause to think about what things truly cost.” (James Rocchi, Cinematical)

“Enough to restore your sense of wonder not only in movies, but in the universe as well.” (Geoff Berkshire, Metromix)

“It can hardly be called a children’s film, but a masterpiece of feature-film animation for all ages.” (Ken Fox, TV Guide)

Now…when am I actually going to be able to go see this?  Yeah, about that…